Since the inception and subsequent development of digital cameras and low cost sensor systems, the technology has now advanced toward multiple-camera network systems. Such multiple-camera network systems may be used for various applications, such as smart homes, office automation, media and entertainment, security and surveillance, mobile and robotic networks, human-computer interfaces, virtual reality systems, 3D object reconstruction, and/or motion capture.
Typically, a user terminal, which is communicatively connected to the multiple-camera network system and a centralized image processing server, may receive a user input to select one or more objects in a facility, such as a sports stadium. The multiple-camera network system may include multiple stationary cameras, such as off-the-shelf cameras, embedded cameras, and/or communicatively coupled cameras. The multiple stationary cameras may be installed around the facility at different angles and strategic locations to capture a real-time 360° motion of the selected one or more objects in the facility. Such multiple stationary cameras installed around the facility, may be calibrated by the centralized image processing server. The calibration may be performed by the centralized image processing server to resolve part-to-part variations, focal lens difference, and lens distortion of the multiple stationary cameras.
The centralized image processing server may receive the user input and communicate control commands to the multiple-camera network system. The control commands may be based on the selection of the one or more objects and one or more ambient factors (such as lighting, shadows, and/or reflections). The control commands may adjust one or more parameters of the stationary cameras in the multiple-camera network system. Accordingly, the multiple-camera network system may capture multiple images, based on the control commands. The captured images may be transmitted back to the centralized image processing server.
The centralized image processing server may process the received captured images and transmit the processed images to the user terminal for display and analysis thereof. However, in certain instances, the placement of the stationary cameras in the multiple-camera network system may not be suitable enough to provide a sufficient coverage of a predefined area that includes the selected one or more objects. Hence, it may be desirable that the multiple-camera network system includes non-stationary cameras for optimal placement in the facility for maximal coverage of the predefined area at a specific resolution, based on objectives of the various applications. It may be further desirable that the centralized image processing server is robust enough to take minimal time for an accurate calibration.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of described systems with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.